Locks for sliding display case doors have been available in a number of configurations, but they have often been too difficult to assemble--not permitting assembly from the front of a display case without compromising security or some aspect of functionality.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,500,297, Best describes a cylinder lock of the type for use with a standard bolt mechanism. It includes a casing for holding a core frame. The casing includes a groove, which can receive a screw to prevent the casing from turning when the key is turned. It also includes a hole through the side for receiving a screw to hold the core frame in place in the casing. The lock casing is threaded in the rear for engagement with a latch casing. The core does not slide within the casing to permit use for locking cabinet doors.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,034, Best, et al., describe a lock of the type having a key-removable core, which slides within a core receptacle. Cores of this type are typically secured in a lock cylinder by a screw which is installed from the rear and operates as a stop to engage with a surface at the rear of the cylinder. This can be seen below in FIGS. 7a-7c, which reproduce the manufacturer's assembly drawings for a commercial lock of this type.
There remains a need for a lock that can be easily assembled from the outside of a display case, yet once assembled is capable of locking openable doors in a closed position.